"Surface heat" refers to the warmth or high temperature found on the outermost layer of an object, such as the heat felt when you touch a hot stove or feel the sun's warmth on your skin. Full definition
With the temperature amplified by global warming and ubiquitous surface heating from elevated greenhouse gas amounts, extreme drought conditions can develop. (pnas.org)
One thing it does not represent is a metric of global surface heat content. (notrickszone.com)
Is there any correction to account for surface heat instead of surface T by considering the melted ice volume? (realclimate.org)